Senzaemon Nakiri
}} |age = |gender = Male |height = |cuisine style = Unknown |food forte = |family = Erina Nakiri (Granddaughter) Alice Nakiri (Granddaughter) Leonora Nakiri (Daughter-in-law) |occupation = Director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy Head of Tōtsuki Corporation |status = Active |manga = Chapter 4 |voice actor = Banjō Ginga |anime = Episode 2 (Cameo) Episode 3 (Full Appearance) }} Senzaemon Nakiri (薙切 仙左衛門 Nakiri Senzaemon) is the director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy and also the grandfather of Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri. Because of his influences in Japan's entire culinary world, he is both respected and feared by students and the primary figure of the Tōtsuki brand name. He is known as the Food's Demon King. Appearance Senzaemon is an elderly man, who has long spiky white hair with a mustache and a beard. He also has a scar on his right eye running diagonally from the middle of his forehead down to just above his right cheekbone. Despite his advanced age, Senzaemon is incredibly fit and muscular. Senzaemon has a very intense, intimidating look when most students look at him, though he can sometimes have a comical and softer expressions. His wardrobe consists of an olive-colored yukata tied by a white obi and normally walks around with geta. During the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election Quarterfinals, Senzaemon wore a haori over his yukata. He also apparently wears a fundoshi. Personality As one of the most highly regarded figures in the culinary world, Senzaemon is treated with the utmost respect from those in the industry. As the current director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Senzaemon holds an iron-clad philosophy in regards to culinary arts with the strict policy that his academy is infamous for. He has high expectations for his students and does not tolerate failure. He highly values tenacity, spirit, and courage, especially those who display such mettle in the face of adversity. He has taken a special interest in the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation which currently hosts a wide variety of students who come from various backgrounds and have continued to innovate and exceed his expectations. Whenever Senzaemon eats a dish that impresses him, he has an unusual habit of stripping the top portion of his yukata. Needless to say, any students who manage to accomplish this feat has earned his respect and interest. However, in rare cases, his fundoshi may unravel as well, more so to indicate the hidden potential of the person who managed to do so. Senzaemon is also fond of his granddaughter, Erina Nakiri as he wasted no time to foster her extraordinary ability, ''God's Tongue''.'' He has shown to have a solid bond with his other granddaughter Alice Nakiri. However, even though he respects their choices, when Erina failed Sōma during his entrance exam, he overruled her decision immediately after taking one bite of his dish. History Senzaemon became an influential figure in the culinary industry, building a fearsome reputation as the "Food's Demon King". His efforts and accomplishments eventually led him to establish the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy to build the perfect chefs for the industry. Senzaemon eventually had a family of his own, at least having two children, one of which is his son. His son eventually wed Leonora Nakiri and had a daughter of their own, Alice Nakiri. His other child eventually had a daughter of their own, Erina Nakiri. Erina was a particularly gifted child who, from her infancy, showed great promise due in part to her [[God's Tongue|''God's Tongue]]. Senzaemon spent much of Erina's childhood fostering her talents until she too became a powerful figure in the culinary industry. Plot The 92nd Orientation Ceremony Main article: Introduction Arc After the Entrance Examination concluded, Senzaemon went to the Examination Kitchen. Upon entering, he saw the Transforming Furikake Gohan and the report of Sōma Yukihira, which was marked as disqualified. As he tasted the dish, Senzaemon found it delicious and immediately sent an acceptance letter to Sōma. One month later, during the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation Orientation Ceremony, Senzaemon delivered his entrance speech. In his speech, he welcomed all the students to the academy and congratulated everyone who passed the previous semester. He also made a brief statement over the 3 years course of the middle school section of the academy, where the students were taught different culinary theories, nutrition, sanitation and among many others. However, in the high school section, the academy would test neither knowledge nor skills during their enrollment, but their primary values as a chef in order to achieve their dream. He then pointed his finger to all of the students and claimed that 99% of them would be "sacrificial stepping stones" to polish the remaining 1% "gems" of the academy. To conclude his speech, Senzaemon motivated all students to keep up their best effort and devote their studies to achieve their goal. After Sōma made his entrance speech, he observed the confrontation between him and Erina. From that moment, Senzaemon knew that he made right choice to accept Sōma into his academy Sometimes after, Senzaemon was in his office and approved the paperwork for Erina's ''Shokugeki'' against the president of Chan RS, Kiyoshi Gōdabayashi. Tōtsuki Autumn Election: Preliminary Round Main article: Tōtsuki Autumn Election Arc During the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election's opening, Senzaemon arrived to deliver an inspiring speech. His presence has once again impressed the 60 participants until he suddenly choked on his own breath. Recovering from his mishap, Senzaemon informed them that they are in the hall which many former Elite Ten Council members once stood. He also asserted that out of the 60 participants, only 8 will qualify for this year's Main Tournament and each group will go to their respective stadiums. In the speech's climax, Senzaemon wished all the participants good luck before he left the stadium. Tōtsuki Autumn Election: Main Tournament See also: 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election Quarterfinals: Day One Two weeks after the Preliminary Round, Senzaemon appeared as one of the judges in the Main Tournament. The first Quarterfinal round was between Sōma Yukihira and his granddaughter, Alice Nakiri with the culinary theme: Bento. As both contestants entered the arena, Senzaemon was greeted by Alice while listening to his fellow judges' compliments about Alice's past accomplishments. As Alice and Sōma unveiled their culinary equipment, the Quarterfinals began. Alice finished cooking her dish first and walked up to the judges, holding trays with transparent domes. Upon closer inspection, Senzaemon recognized the arrangement as Temari sushi, from which Alice named her Temari Bento. However, he and the other judges were instructed by Alice to eat the sushi in a specific order, and were greatly impressed by each successive sushi. The flavor and shape of the dish was so unique and well-prepared, it prompted Senzaemon to imagine that Alice's dish was similar to a Traditional Japanese Restaurant Banquet. He then got up from his seat and stripped in response to Alice's dish which was overflowing ''with wisdom. Many of the students in the audience watched in horror as they could never reach Alice's caliber. However, Senzaemon was pleased to know that there was still a chef, who had the mettle to challenge an uncompromising opponent. Sōma followed up by presenting his Evolved Nori Bento. He and the other judges were surprised that Sōma used a layered bento box instead of a square container. As Sōma and Alice exchanged a few words, Senzaemon was constantly surprised with what each box revealed. However, he opened the final box to find mysterious black drops on the rice, which Sōma revealed as Nori Flavor Bombs. Finally a Kudzu Sauce was unveiled and added to the Nori Bento. When Alice questioned the concept of Sōma's bento, Senzaemon unexpectedly stepped in and answered for Sōma. He told her that Sōma did not only focus only on the technical side of the dish, but the emotional aspect as well. As Alice ate his dish, Senzaemon declared that Sōma was the victor of the match, much to everyone's surprise. Second Round Shortly after the first round, the second round between Megumi Tadokoro and Ryō Kurokiba began with the culinary theme: Ramen. As the match started, Senzaemon talked wtih Ōizumi about the history and popularity of ramen. Senzaemon further noted that using the experience they had gained will determine whether or not, their ramen dish will exposed the chef's true worth. When both contestant unveiled their seafood soup, Senzaemon complimented Megumi's soup and to enhance his ramen experience, he and the other judges left their tables to visit both Ryō and Megumi's kitchen areas. Ryō presented his ramen dish first, which he called Soupe De Poisson Ramen. The judges were overwhelmed by the strong impact of his dish. However, as most judges submit to his dish, Senzaemon Nakiri remained unfazed. He directly challenged Ryō's dish and was impressed enough to strip without making a single movement. Senzaemon commended his strength and admired his courage. Afterwards, Megumi calmly presented her dish, a Kozuyu Chicken Soy Sauce Ramen, to Senzaemon and the other judges. Taking the first bite, Senzaemon praised her dish and noted the differences between her dish and Ryō's. As the judges concluded their judging of Megumi's dish, Senzaemon took out his brush to declare the winner. However, Senzaemon did not strip for Megumi's dish unlike he did for Ryō and, in the end, Megumi lost the match. After the match, Senzaemon and the other judges were leaving the arena, where they were greeted by Erina. However, Senzaemon pardoned himself and went to the bathroom. Before he even realized it, his fundoshi "stripped" which he indicated that Megumi held immeasurable amount of potential and referred the 92nd Generation as the "Jewel Generation". Quarterfinals: Day Two On the second day of Main Tournament Quarterfinals, It was announced to the audience that the culinary theme of the third round was Hamburger. Senzaemon once again appeared as the one of the judges and gave a brief description of the dish. Then, the contestants Hisako Arato and Akira Hayama arrived into the arena. As their match began, Senzaemon and the other judges observed both contestants as they revealed their ingredients. However, he focused on Hisako with great interests, as she proceeded to mercilessly butcher her live turtle and drained the blood. Hisako presented her dish first, a Soft-Shelled Turtle Hamburger. As the judges began to eat her dish, he informed the crowd that only the judges who had eaten the burger itself could understand its power. Senzaemon then stood up and stripped his top while posing a fighting stance. Shortly after, Akira unveiled his dish, a Kofta Kebab Burger. While the other judges was completely engrossed by the dish, Senzaemon had enough control of himself to fully pick out the secrets of the burger. After Akira lectured Hisako about their disparity, without a single doubt in the judges' minds, Senzaemon declared Akira as the winner of the match. Fourth Round ''Main article: Aldini Vs. Mimasaka Quarterfinal Shokugeki Before the fourth round began, a shocking announcement was made: a ''Shokugeki'' between Takumi Aldini and Subaru Mimasaka will be held. Upon receiving the news, Senzaemon stated it was possible a Shokugeki ''to take place in the middle of the Autumn Election as long as both parties have an agreement, despite the time and place. He approached Hisanao Kageura, the president of the ''Shokugeki ''Administrative Bureau, to discuss the protocols and conditions of the match. As the contestants made their way into the arena, Senzaemon and the other judges arrived at the judges' table, where it was announced to the audience that the match will be a full fashion ''Shokugeki ''with the theme being desserts. As the match began, Subaru and Takumi had the same ingredients, much to everyone's surprise. At the judges' table, Senzaemon was handed a document by Hisanao, regarding Subaru's previous ''Shokugekis, ''which revealed that he made the same dishes as his opponents. Despite opposition from the other judges, Senzaemon allowed the match to continue as there was no rules that would admonish Subaru. Subaru presented his dish first, a Improved Three-Layer Semifreddo. Senzaemon and the other judges could not denied that his desert dish was delicious, despite the lack of originality. Afterwards, Takumi presented his desert dish, which Senzermon named it a Lemon Curd Italiano Semifreddo because Takumi improvised and added lemon curd as a fourth layer. However, even with the change, Senzaemon declared Subaru as victor of the match. The following week, Senzaemon was walking through Nakiri mansion with his assistant. He saw Erina and Sōma together in the kitchen, then his assistant informed him that he would become the head judge for the Finals, and the selection of the remaining judges. Finals Finally, the day of the Finals arrived. After the three contestants brandished their pacific saury, Senzaemon, along with Gin Dōjima and Leonora Nakiri, was introduced as the judges for the Finals by Satoshi Isshiki. Shortly after, Senzaemon was convinced by Alice to allow her to stay by the judging table, much to Erina's annoyance. As the roof opened, the vast night sky could be seen just as the moon started to emerge above the arena. With the path of the moon as the timer for the match, the Finals began. As the first one done with his dish, Ryō's presented his dish, an Autumn Pacific Saury Cartoccio to the judges. The bag was still boiling hot, but as the judges opened them, an explosion of aroma escaped from the bags, submerging the judges in the smell of his seafood. However Gin was confused by the rich flavor despite the lack of seasoning. Before Ryō revealed his ingredient, Senzaemon mentioned it was the fragrance of herbs, much to the judges' surprise. Ryō brought out some herb butter which he placed in the bags before putting in the oven. This caused the fish and other ingredients to slowly marinate in it. Afterwards, Senzaemon stripped off his robe and the judges were thoroughly impressed. Akira then presented his Scorched Pacific Saury Carpaccio. However, Senzaemon and the other judges seem confused by what seemed to be an hors d'oeuvre dish, but Akira assured them that his dish was a main course as he pulled out a cooking torch. After lightly searing his dish, Senzaemon immediately recognized that he only used a single spice: Allspice. As the judges ate his dish, the reception was overwhelmingly positive and appeared to win the judges over Ryō's dish. With time ticking down, Sōma finally finished his dish, a takikomi gohan, and presented it to the judges. Senzaemon was impressed by the permeation of the saury's flavor in his mouth, but did not stripped off his robe. When Sōma asked if he and the other judges would like seconds, none of them moved. However, just before the round ended, Senzaemon was interested enough to give Sōma's dish a second taste when he brandished a pot of soy milk, transforming his takikomi gohan into a Oja-Style Pacific Saury Takikomi Gohan. As Senzaemon ate the dish, the flavor caused him to instantly strip his robe without moving. With the dish judging round over, the final verdict was at hand. The judges praised the competitors for their splendid dishes and performance. However, the deciding factor for the match was the person who could display who they were as a chef through their cooking the most. Akira was declared the winner of the 43rd Autumn Election with Sōma and Ryō placing second. As the award ceremony concluded, Senzaemon stated that, after today, another new "jewel" was born. Stagiaire ''Main article: Stagiaire Arc (To be added) Academy Festival Main article: Academy Festival Arc (To be added) Cooking Style Senzaemon's cooking style has yet to be shown. However, he has displayed a diverse array of culinary knowledge, and can pick apart most dishes with just a single bite. Trivia *Senzaemon uses the kanji for Hermit or Wizard (Sen), Left (Sa), Defense or Protection (E), and Gate (Mon). Nakiri uses the kanji for To Mow Down (Na) and Limit (Kiri). *He is also adept in Calligraphy as he is able to write down Sōma's name character with a giant brush in a short time. References zh:薙切仙左衛門 Category:Male Characters Category:Tōtsuki Culinary Academy Staff Category:Nakiri Family Category:Judge Category:Chef